13 New Things To Do In October 2023: Horror Maze, Futuristic Exhibition, Chrysanthemum Garden & More
October is finally here, and you know what that means: the spooky season is upon us! While this month is absolutely ripe with excitement for those who love their thrills and scares, anyone can get a good dose of fun with a couple of pointers on where to look. So buckle up your seatbelts, because here are 13 new activities and events happening in Singapore this October.
#1: Jam Out To Nathan Hartono's Tracks At His 'In the Clouds' Concert
Photo from @nathanhartono via Instagram
Looking for a stress-free date idea or a last-minute outing with your besties full of fun and music? Local singer-songwriter Nathan Hartono is back for his first solo concert in 7 years with 'In the Clouds'. Expect to hear brand-new songs from his latest album on love, happiness, fame and personal insight he has gained from the music industry, as well as some older fan-favourite tracks!
#2: Embark on a relaxing multi-sensorial journey in Yeo's Drinkable Garden at Gardens By The Bay
Photo from Yeo's
Most of us are pretty familiar with Yeo's, having grown up around readily available chrysanthemum tea and other beverages from the local brand. Now, you can learn all about the process of creating these floral teas over at Yeo's Drinkable Garden in Gardens By The Bay.
Photo from Yeo's
Visitors can expect gorgeous, immersive exhibits and towering floral installations inspired by Yeo's signature chrysanthemum tea — as well as opportunities to learn about the growing, harvesting, drying and brewing process of flowers to make tea.
#3: Explore an immersive, hellish Halloween haunted house at 'Gateway to Hell: Reliving the Gruesome 60s'
Photo from Orchard Gateway
Speaking of Halloween, if taking a turn around the usual Horror Nights at Universal Studios Singapore is still not enough to satisfy your need for all things spooky, why not try the immersive new haunted house at Orchard Gateway? The inaugural event, named 'Gateway to Hell: Reliving the Gruesome 60s' lets visitors step back in time into a retro 1960s Singapore house where they'll have to stop a demonic schoolgirl from passing through a dimensional portal and entering our world.
Besides braving your fears inside the haunted house, there will also be a VR gaming experience and photo booth within the scare maze. Each ticket also entitles you to a Halloween-themed goodie bag worth over $50! Make sure to book your spot ahead of time to avoid disappointment, since this is a ticketed event.
Gateway to Hell: Reliving the Gruesome 60s
Date: 14 - 31 October 2023
Time: 6:30pm to 9pm and 9pm to 11:30pm (last entry at 11pm) on weekdays | 12:00pm to 6:30pm and 6:30pm to 11:30pm (last entry at 11pm) on weekends
Location: Orchard Gateway Level 2, 277 Orchard Road, Singapore 238858
Price: From $32.90
Website | Facebook | Instagram
#4: Have some rail-y good fun at Japan Rail Fair 2023
Photo from Japan Rail Cafe & Wind Ensemble Nippon Singapore
Just like its name suggests, the annual Japan Rail Fair 2023 welcomes all visitors to immerse themselves in Japanese culture and food via rail-themed activities, all for free! This year, there will be 23 food, travel and lifestyle booths on-site — offering attendees everything from a taste of yummy snacks and train station boxed meals, to a firsthand look at performances of Suzume Odori (sparrow dance) and games like Yo-Yo Tsuri, or water balloon ‘yo-yo’.
You can also take part in a stamp rally lucky draw to stand a chance at winning super attractive prizes like a pair of air tickets to Tokyo, a one-night hotel stay, and even JR East passes!
#5: Indulge your artsy side by checking out the For Art's Sake exhibition
Photo from GOFY
Take part in the huge creative takeover that is For Art's Sake 2023, which will see the exhibition of 80 pieces of artwork at 21 locations across Singapore! These pieces include works contributed by artists from all over Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
Photo from GOFY
The exhibition puts a new spin on purchasing, consuming and circulating art, highlighting the importance of keeping art approachable and accessible for everyone. Whether you're a frequent visitor of museums and galleries or just want to seek out a unique weekend activity, these artists' fresh new takes on classic art will be sure to keep you entertained!
For Art's Sake 2023
Date: 14 October 2023 – 28 January 2024
Location: Map of all 21 locations where you can view the art pieces.
Price: Free
Website | Facebook | Instagram
#6: Kickstart the planning of your next vacation at Klook Travel Fest 2023
Photo from Klook
It's always a good time for a vacation, but it's a really superb time for one when there are great offers and discounts up for grabs! The Klook Travel Fest 2023 is where you can score some of the best travel deals for the upcoming months, with 1-for-1 flash deals for activities in locations like Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and more.
Photo from Klook
Visitors also stand a chance to win flight tickets, travel vouchers and much more at the event's Challenge Zone and stage giveaways, so make sure not to miss those! On top of all that, attendees will also get a chance to get travel tips and hacks from Klook's very own travel experts free of charge, to make everything go a little smoother on your next adventure abroad!
#7: Explore a stunning collection of female-imagined, science fiction worlds at the New Eden exhibit
Photo from ArtScience Museum
This one is a must-see for science fiction fans! Contemporary art meets mythology at the ArtScience Museum's upcoming exhibition: New Eden: Science Fiction Mythologies Transformed, where female artists and collectives have created scenes representing their ideas of dream existences and fantastical realities.
Photo from ArtScience Museum
Visitors can expect to encounter otherworldly terrain, parallel worlds and strange lifeforms everywhere they look. Plus, each exhibit highlights the alternative voices of their artists by blending Western science fiction paradigms with Asian myth and beliefs to create something truly unique.
#8: Journey into another life at the award-winning Samsara VR Gallery
Photo from ArtScience Museum
If you're already planning a visit to the ArtScience Museum, why not add the mind-blowing Samsara VR Gallery to your list? This incredibly immersive experience created by artist and director Hsin-Chien Huang sends visitors on a journey into a dystopian future, where planet Earth has run out of resources and become devastated from nuclear wars. The humans depart Earth to find a new inhabitable planet, but unknowingly find themselves returning home again and again.
Photo from ArtScience Museum
Samsara is perfect for those who love cinematic storytelling and virtual reality experiences — the installation has already bagged the Jury Award of the SXSW and Best VR Story of the Cannes XR competition, on top of being selected for the 78th Venice VR Film Festival. We reckon this one will be pretty popular, so make sure to grab your tickets once they become available!
#9: Get grooving to ABBA's timeless hits at MAMMA MIA! the musical in Singapore
Photo from Littlestar, Universal and NGM
There's a lot to love about the hit musical MAMMA MIA! From its Greek holiday setting to the awesome, flashy outfits — and of course, who could forget those catchy, anthemic tracks from the discography of legendary 70's sensations ABBA? If a family-friendly, upbeat night out at the theatre sounds like your cup of tea, hurry and snatch those tickets before they're all gone! After all, it's not every day that the musical makes its way over to our shores, and you don't want to be the only Dancing Queen left out of the party.
#10: Shop till you drop at Wunderground Singapore 2023 (In the Heartlands)
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
There's no better way to spend leisure time than partaking in our national pastime — shopping! Or eating, depending on who you ask. But whichever you may prefer, Wunderground Singapore 2023 will have a surplus of opportunities for it, since there will be more than 50 brands present at the lifestyle festival!
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
The two-part event has completed its first half, which was located in town, and now visitors can look forward to enjoying part two — situated in the heartlands of Tampines. Expect to indulge in retail therapy, feast your eyes upon new art installations, and have a plethora of Instagrammable photo opportunities at the ready! You'll also find live entertainment and roving DJs on site, so grab your buddies and make plans to head down stat.
#11: Have a flipping good time at the Samsung FlipSide Market Pop-Up on Arab Street
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Whether you're team Samsung or part of the Apple squad, we say leave behind the rivalry and head down the Samsung FlipSide Market as soon as you can!
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
All visitors are in for quite the experience at this two-storey pop-up, with plenty of fun activities and photo spots, as well as 2 free photo booths and many games to try out. Plus, everyone who completes the event's stamp rally gets to redeem limited-edition Samsung merch and take a spin at their gashapon machine.
#12: Party the night away at the brand new Tipsy Unicorn Beach Club
Photo from Tipsy Collective
In case you haven't heard, Tipsy Collective, the local hospitality group behind concept restaurants and bars like Tipsy Flamingo, Tipsy Panda, and Tipsy Bunny, has welcomed a spanking new addition to their ranks. Opening its doors to beachgoers at Sentosa Island, Tipsy Unicorn Beach Club is a sprawling 19,000-square-foot entertainment hub with a unicorncore theme.
Photo from Tipsy Collective
Visitors can look forward to lounging in cabanas or daybeds, taking a dip in the huge outdoor pool, and snacking on delicious bar bites, as well as sipping on creatively concocted cocktails and drinks. Those who want to pamper themselves can also splurge on private lounges that offer private bars, karaoke and even jacuzzis among other top-tier facilities!
#13: Get in some explosive chills and thrills at Halloween Horror Nights 11
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Keeping things fresh for its 11th run at Universal Studios Singapore, this year's Halloween Horror Nights has brought back its signature scare zones, haunted houses and entertaining shows — all spiced up with some of the most viral trends over the past year!
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Must-try zones include a haunted house based on singer-performer The Weeknd's night club, a real-life recreation of zombie-infested scenes from Netflix's hit K-series All of Us Are Dead, and even a take on local horrors modelled after various levels of Diyu, or the Chinese hells (yes, just like the ones depicted at Haw Par Villa).
